Helen Zdenek
Beloved Mom, Grandma, and Granny Great, Helen (Rempp) Zdenek passed peacefully in her sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, July 7, 2020 at the Good Samaritan Home in Scotland, SD at the age of 93.
Private family memorial services will be at 10:00 Thursday, July 16, 2020 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Chapel in Yankton, South Dakota with Rev. Katie Ricke officiating. Burial of her cremated remains will be in the Garden of Memories in Yankton, South Dakota. Friends (with masks) are encouraged to call from 5 to 7 PM Wednesday, July 15, 2020 at the Opsahl-Kostel Funeral Home & Onsite Crematory in Yankton, South Dakota with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM.
Her services will be live streamed at:https://www.facebook.com/opsahlkostel/live. Online condolences may be sent to www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.
Honorary pall bearers are Duane Sedlacek, Sherm Wood, Richard Kortan, Ray Cahoy, Brian Goeden, and Don Kortan.
Helen entered the world on June 8, 1927 to John and Mary Kutilek. She was raised on a small farm outside Utica, South Dakota. She attended school there to the 8th grade.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Donna (Chuck) Kronaizl of Moville, IA; grandchildren Kirk Kronaizl of LeMars, IA and Jennifer (Brian) Gydesen of Gretna, NE; great-grandchildren Maeya and Ansley Gydesen of Gretna, NE; a sister, Polly Kniffen of Yankton, SD; a brother John (Marilyn) Kutilek of Byron Center, MI; stepchildren Joe Jr, Ruby, Barb, Patty, Peggy and Linda; and many nieces and nephews. She leaves other family and friends who sadly miss her.
She was married to Harold Rempp on June 22, 1950. They farmed near Mission Hill, South Dakota until moving to Yankton, South Dakota. She then worked at Gurney’s Seed and Nursery in Yankton for 35 years. Helen was a member of the First Methodist Church in Yankton, South Dakota. She was involved with the Ladies Auxiliary at Yankton VFW and a member of the Leprechauns, which was one of her most favorite joys. She also loved to spend time at family gatherings, big or small. She loved to dance and sing to polka tunes, speak the occasional Czech phrase, and eat a good kolache.
Later in life, she met and then married Joe Zdenek on November 10, 2001. They lived on a farm near Lesterville, South Dakota until moving to the Good Samaritan Home in Scotland, South Dakota in 2017.
She was preceded in death by her parents John and Mary Kutilek; her husband, Harold Rempp; brothers Emil (Josie) Kutilek, Ben (Violet) Kutilek, Jim Kutilek; sisters Agnes (Joe) Kortan, Eileen (Dave) Kortan, Bessie (Steve) Petrik, Albina (Joe) Hejna and Marie (Glen) Radel; and her husband, Joe Zdenek.
